This is the best and easiest Deer Bacon Recipe! Learn how to make a small and simple 5-pound batch of ground and formed deer bacon (or venison bacon) that easily fits in a 9 X 13 pan using some of your deer from this season.

This ground and formed deer bacon or venison bacon can be made in a 9 X 13 pan

There are other Venison Bacon recipes out there, but almost all of them are for bigger batches of 10 pounds, 15 pounds, and even 25 pounds. I developed this recipe for all of you who just want to try it and see if you like it before committing to a large batch. I also hope you will appreciate the fact that it all easily fits in a 9 X 13 pan.

If you are anything like me, you have lots of stuff going on in your refrigerator right now. A giant meat tub filled with 25 pounds of deer bacon taking up the majority of space in your fridge for a couple of days may not be appreciated by family members or roommates. But a 9 X 13 pan can just slide right underneath a carton of eggs, taking no room at all.

Everything is Better with Deer Bacon

This venison bacon recipe takes the succulent, gamey flavor of venison and infuses it with smoky, savory bacon goodness. Perfect for hunters who want to use every part of the deer, or for adventurous foodies looking to expand their culinary horizons, deer bacon is a versatile and flavorful ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes.

Whether you're looking to fry it up for breakfast and serve it with your eggs, add it to a sandwich for lunch, or crumble it on top of a salad for dinner, this recipe will show you how to make the perfect deer bacon every time.

Unlike traditional pork bacon, this venison bacon is made from a combination of ground venison and ground pork instead of a whole muscle meat like pork belly.

Because venison is extremely lean, the pork is added to create that mouthwatering fattiness we all love in traditional bacon. A mixture of cure and a smoke adds that crispy, smoky bacon flavor to this venison bacon recipe.

Ingredients for How to Make Deer Bacon

ground venison
ground pork
curing salt (Instacure No. 1)
kosher salt
non-fat dried powdered milk
brown sugar
liquid smoke
onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried mustard, and black pepper

Why Do We Use Powdered Milk?

1. Improves Binding and Texture

Non-fat dried milk contains proteins like casein, which act as binders. These proteins help hold water and fat in deer bacon and sausage mixtures, creating a stable emulsion. This reduces the likelihood of fat separating out during cooking (a process knows as "fat-out").
By binding the ingredients, it improves the bacon's overall texture, making it smoother and more cohesive.

2. Enhances moisture Rentention

The milk powder absorbs water and retains it during cooking. This leads to juicier venison bacon by reducing moisture loss, particularly when the bacon is exposed to heat.

4. Extends Shelf Life

The lactose (milk sugar) and proteins in non-fat powdered milk help maintain freshness by holding moisture and preventing the bacon from drying out too quickly.

5. Neutral Flavor Contribution

Non-fat dried milk adds no noticeable dairy flavor to the venison bacon, allowing the venison, pork, and seasonings to shine.

6. Encourages Protein Network Formation

When mixed with the venison and pork, the proteins in the milk powder interact with the myosin in the meat. This interaction enhances the formation of a protein matrix, further stabilizing the bacon structure.

Why Non-Fat Powdered Milk?

Stability: Non-fat dried milk has a longer shelf life and is less prone to rancidity than whole fat options, which is particularly important in processed meat products.

How to Make Venison Bacon

1. Place the ground venison and ground pork in a large mixing bowl.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine curing salt, salt, powdered milk, brown sugar, liquid smoke, and seasonings with the cold water. Mix well, then pour the mixture over the meat.

3. Mix the venison and pork with your hands until the seasoning is well incorporated, and the meat becomes tacky.

4. Line a 9 X 13 pan with plastic wrap and press meat mixture evenly into pan to eliminate air pockets so it's about 2-inches thick. Cover meat with more plastic wrap and set in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight (up to 2 days).

5. Preheat smoker to 200 degrees F. Once heated, add wood chips of your choice. We prefer hickory.

6. Remove the top plastic wrap and gently invert the pan onto your smoker rack and lift away the pan. Peel away and discard the plastic wrap that lined the pan.

7. Smoke the bacon at 200 degrees F until the internal temp reaches 150 degrees F using an instant-read meat thermometer. (With my electric Masterbuilt smoker, this took about 2 ½ hours.)

This ground and formed venison bacon or venison bacon can be made in a 9 X 13 pan using some of your deer from this season.

8. Remove the bacon from the smoker and allow it to cool on a wire rack.

9. Slice the bacon on a meat slicer or on a cutting board with a sharp knife.

How to Use Deer Bacon

Some of our favorite ways to use deer bacon are these recipes:

Deer Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

Deer Bacon with Asparagus and Eggs

Lentil and Buck Bacon Soup

Wedge Salad with Venison Bacon and Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Come Deer Hunting in North Dakota

If you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.

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